Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with infectious diseases and disease conditions that trigger, e.g., an anaphylactic cytokine cascade.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,354,276, issued to Har-Noy, entitled, “T-cell compositions that elicit type I cytokine response”, relates to a method of manipulating allogeneic cells for use in allogeneic cell therapy protocols is described. The method provides a composition of highly activated allogeneic T-cells, which are infused into immunocompetent cancer patients to elicit a novel anti-tumor immune mechanism called the “Mirror Effect”. The inventors argue that, in contrast to current allogeneic cell therapy protocols where T-cells in the graft mediate the beneficial graft vs. tumor (GVT) and detrimental graft vs. host (GVH) effects, the allogeneic cells of the invention stimulate host T-cells to mediate the “mirror” of these effects. The highly activated allogeneic cells of the invention are said to stimulate host immunity in a complete HLA mis-matched setting in patients that have not had a prior bone marrow transplant or received chemotherapy and/or radiation conditioning regimens.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,309,519, issued to Li, et al., is entitled “Compositions and methods for inhibiting vascular permeability” and relates to compounds, compositions and methods for inhibiting vascular permeability and pathologic angiogenesis. These inventors teach methods for producing and screening compounds and compositions capable of inhibiting vascular permeability and pathologic angiogenesis. It is said that the compositions described are useful in, methods of inhibiting vascular permeability and pathologic angiogenesis, including methods of inhibiting vascular permeability and pathologic angiogenesis induced by specific angiogenic, permeability and inflammatory factors, such as, for example VEGF, βFGF and thrombin.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,498, issued to Keller, is entitled “Treatments for viral infections” and relates to improved methods and compositions for treating viral infections and other diseases and conditions that induce a cytokine storm. It is further said that the invention relates to novel compositions comprising quercetin, and an anti-convulsant, such as phenytoin, in combination with multivitamins as an anti-viral composition and methods of use thereof.
United States Patent Application No. 20100075329, filed by O'Toole, et al., is entitled “Methods For Predicting Production Of Activating Signals By Cross-Linked Binding Proteins” and relates to human binding proteins and antigen-binding fragments thereof that specifically bind to the human interleukin-21 receptor (IL21R), and uses therefore. The invention is said to include methods to predict whether the binding proteins of the invention may take on agonistic activities in vivo and produce a cytokine storm. In addition, the invention is said to provide methods for determining whether an anti-IL21R binding protein is a neutralizing anti-IL21R binding protein, based on the identification of several IL21-responsive genes. Finally, it is said that the binding proteins can act as antagonists of IL21R activity, thereby modulating immune responses in general, and those mediated by IL21R in particular.